AIG Newsletter 6 July 2026

CONTENT:

• NEWS
  • COUNCIL FORMALLY ADOPTS DIGITAL OMNIBUS ON AI
  • ITRE AND LIBE PUBLISH THEIR DRAFT REPORT ON THE DIGITAL OMNIBUS
  • AI ACT ADVISORY FORUM HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING
  • COMMISSION LAUNCHES CALL ON SAFER SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUTH
  • LIBE EXAMINES TECH SOVEREIGNTY AND ONLINE SAFETY
  • COMMISSION BACKS COMMON APPROACH TO GREEN LABELLING RULES
    
  • IRISH PRESIDENCY SETS OUT COUNCIL AGENDA FOR H2 2026
• DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
  

NEWS

In this week's edition: the Council formally adopts the Digital Omnibus package on AI, while the European Parliament's ITRE and LIBE committees publish their draft report, backing simplification but seeking to preserve strong privacy and data protection safeguards. The Commission also convenes the first meeting of the AI Act Advisory Forum and launches a new call for proposals to support safer and more inclusive social media platforms for young people.

Elsewhere, Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen faces questions from MEPs on technological sovereignty, cyber resilience and online child safety, while the Commission welcomes a common approach among national consumer protection authorities to enforcing new rules on green claims and sustainability labels. Looking ahead, the incoming Irish Presidency has outlined its provisional Council agenda for the second half of 2026, signalling progress on several key industrial, digital, media, consumer and online safety files.

COUNCIL FORMALLY ADOPTS DIGITAL OMNIBUS ON AI

On 29 June the Council announced it had formally adopted the Digital Omnibus package on AI, marking the final legislative step before the measures enter into force following publication in the Official Journal. The legislation introduces several targeted changes to the AI Act, including delaying the application of requirements for high-risk AI systems until December 2027, for stand-alone high-risk AI systems, and August 2028, for high-risk AI systems embedded in products, providing businesses with greater legal certainty and additional time to prepare for compliance. The package also includes a ban on AI systems designed to generate non-consensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material. At the same time it seeks to reduce regulatory burdens and improve consistency in the implementation of AI rules across the EU.

ITRE AND LIBE PUBLISH THEIR DRAFT REPORT ON THE DIGITAL OMNIBUS

European Parliament committees ITRE and LIBE have published their draft report on the Digital Omnibus, backing simplification to cut red-tape and improve legal certainty, while insisting EU privacy and data protection standards must not be weakened. The report links simplification to Europe's tech sovereignty agenda and supports predictable rules for AI and digital services, including changes to GDPR provisions on manifestly unfounded or excessive requests. It strengthens safeguards on biometric verification, automated decision-making, public-sector and third-country data access, and data intermediation services, with tighter limits on use of data for advertising, profiling and AI training. MEPs have until 15 July to table amendments, with Parliament's targeted impact assessment on Articles 3, 4 and 10 due by October.

AI ACT ADVISORY FORUM HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING

On 19 June, the Commission convened the first meeting of the AI Act Advisory Forum, the new body supporting implementation and enforcement of the AI Act. The 174-member Forum, drawn from civil society, academia, industry, SMEs and start‑ups, discussed its working arrangements and priorities. The Commission also presented the draft Code of Practice on Transparency of AI‑Generated Content, supporting Article 50 obligations on labelling and detection of AI‑generated content and deepfakes, and sought initial feedback on standardisation issues and draft guidance on classifying high‑risk AI systems. A stakeholder consultation is open until 23 July.

COMMISSION LAUNCHES CALL ON SAFER SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUTH

On 29 June, the Commission launched a €1.48 million call for proposals to develop and test safer, more inclusive social media features for young people. The pilot will involve young users in co-design, with a focus on safety, mental health, privacy and usability. The call aims to support at least one protocol-based social media service aligned with European values, offering greater user choice over data use, moderation and online interaction. Applications are open from 30 July to 6 October 2026, with an online information session taking place on 30 July.

LIBE EXAMINES TECH SOVEREIGNTY AND ONLINE SAFETY

On 24 June, MEPs on the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) questioned Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen on the EU's technology and security agenda, with discussions focusing on technological sovereignty, cyber resilience and efforts to better protect children online. The exchange highlighted growing political attention to reducing Europe's dependence on foreign technologies, strengthening digital security, and enforcing online safety rules under the Digital Services Act. Child protection measures, including age verification and safeguards against harmful content, also featured prominently in the debate.

COMMISSION BACKS COMMON APPROACH TO GREEN LABELLING RULES

The Commission has welcomed a common understanding reached by national consumer protection authorities on the enforcement of new EU rules governing green claims and sustainability labels. The agreement is intended to ensure a consistent and proportionate approach across Member States as the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive begins to apply from 27 September 2026. The framework seeks to curb greenwashing by improving the reliability and transparency of environmental claims, while also providing businesses with greater legal certainty during the transition, particularly in relation to products already on the market or in existing supply chains. Authorities have indicated they will prioritise guidance and preventive measures over sanctions where genuine transitional challenges arise.

IRISH PRESIDENCY SETS OUT COUNCIL AGENDA FOR H2 2026

The incoming Irish Presidency has published tentative Council agendas for its six-month term, signalling the expected timetable for key industrial, digital, media, consumer and online safety files. 

• Competitiveness Council (24 September; 3–4 December): discussions planned on Chips Act 2.0, the Industrial Accelerator Act, the 28th legal regime for start-ups and scale-ups, merger control guidelines, the European Products Act, public procurement reform, the Single Market Strategy, and the European Innovation and Research Area. 
• Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (19–20 November): conclusions on AI skills, youth empowerment in the information environment, and exchanges on Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) revision and online child safety. 
• Telecommunications Council (1 December): talks on mobile satellite services, the Digital Networks Act, the Cloud and AI Development Act, and updates on the cybersecurity package, European Business Wallets and the Digital Omnibus.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

 July 6-9: The European Parliament is meeting in plenary session

July 7: ENFIELD Project – Final Event: Advancing AI in Europe: From Foundations to Real-World Applications

July 13: Event: EDPS - Hired by an algorithm: Data protection and AI regulation in modern HR practices (Brussels)

2 July: The EP CULT Committee is expected to meet over two days (agenda TBC)